The 5 Most Significant Scientific Breakthroughs

Let us discuss the most notable scientific breakthroughs of the year. Our first entry concerns the planet Mars, where a conclusive breakthrough occurred with the discovery of liquid water on its surface. Despite the planet's thin atmosphere, researchers had been searching for signs of flowing water for some time, and this year they finally succeeded. The water was detected by a radar instrument called Marcy's found aboard the European Space Station, and it is believed to be a lake some 12 miles in width, located about a mile beneath the polar ice cap. While this discovery does not necessarily imply the existence of life on Mars, it does provide a good indicator that life could exist on the planet. Experts can now follow the water to see where it goes and discover if any life forms might be drinking it.

Next, as more and more people are living longer, there is an increased demand for anti-aging products. Researchers are even working on technologies that could potentially allow people to live forever. A team of Boston researchers revealed that they found a way to reverse aging in mice by boosting the levels of a specific molecule called nad, which is necessary for survival. As nad drops off over time, it leads to age-related diseases. By using a dietary supplement to boost nad levels in mice, the researchers found that the older cells in mice became younger, and overall health improved. This breakthrough could lead to the development of dietary supplements that could reduce the development of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's.

2018 was an interesting year for the human species. Neanderthals and Denisovans are two early human groups that lived alongside each other in Eurasia 50,000 years ago. After a fragment of bone was discovered in a Denisovan cave in Siberia, researchers concluded that the two groups were definitely mixing it up. The fragment, believed to come from a teenage girl, led researchers to conclude that she was the product of a union between a Neanderthal and a Denisovan. This adds another fascinating layer to the human story.

The years has also been significant for the treatment of blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Typically affecting older patients, over half a million people suffer from AMD in the UK alone. A breakthrough in London relates to the wet conditions of the disease, where blood vessels in the eye leak and damage the retina. By using stem cells, researchers have created a patch that can be placed over the damaged area, allowing patients who could previously only read one word to now read dozens. This breakthrough gives real hope for the future.

Finally, a small particle called a neutrino was found in the eyes of Antarctica, which had traveled to Earth from a blazar, a type of galaxy. The finding gives us an insight into what is out there in the universe from a perspective we never really knew about before. Unlocking the secrets of the neutrino's origin has excited scientists all around the world, who are referring to it as high-energy neutrino astronomy. By studying these and cosmic rays, researchers hope to boost our knowledge of how things work beyond our planet.

Every year, science takes a quantum leap, and this year was no exception. We are now talking about living on other planets, living in outer space, and potential cures for diseases we thought were incurable just a few years ago. While the idea of beating death may not be the greatest idea, it could potentially happen. Perhaps we could even develop something that could slow down time.Thank you.